Burke's house and farmyard, though strongly indicative of wealth and
abundance in the owner, were, notwithstanding, evidently the property
of a man whose mind was far back in a knowledge of agriculture, and the
industrial pursuits that depend upon it. His haggard was slovenly in the
extreme, and his farmyard exceedingly offensive to most of the senses;
everything lay about in a careless and neglected manner;--wheelbarrows
without their trundles--sacks for days under the rain that fell from
the eaves of the houses--other implements embedded in mud--car-houses
tumbling down--the pump without a handle--the garden-gate open, and the
pigs hard at work destroying the vegetables, and rooting up the garden
in all directions. In fact, the very animals about the house were
conscious of the character of the people, and acted accordingly. If one
of the dogs, for instance, was hunted at the pigs, he ran in an apparent
fury towards that which happened to be nearest him, which merely lifted
its head and listened for a time--the dog, with loud and boisterous
barking, seizing its ear, led it along for three or four yards in that
position, after which, upon the pig demurring to proceed any further,
he very quietly dropped it and trotted in again, leaving the destructive
animal to resume its depredations.
The house inside bore the same character.
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